Electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector apparatus (10) is described having a housing with a first end (12) for releasably receiving a terminal end (200) of a jack and a second end (14) for receiving a twisted pair cable (300) having a pair of conductors (301, 302). The housing includes first and second intermediate electrical connectors (70, 80) having first ends (74, 84) for electrically contacting first and second exposed electrical contacts (206, 208) of the terminal end (200) when the terminal end (200) is secured to the housing in predetermined alignment. The first and second intermediate electrical connectors (70, 80) also include second ends (76, 86) having insulation displacement connectors (110) for providing electrical connection between insulation clad conductors (301, 302) of said twisted pair cable (300). Circuit elements (96, 97) are provided within the housing to provide for an electrical circuit between the first and second intermediate electrical connectors (70, 80) for providing compatible electrical connection between the jack and the twisted pair cable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector apparatus for electrically connecting a twisted pair cable (300) and a terminal end (200) of a jack where the end (200) has a first exposed electrical contact (206) and a second exposed electrical contact (208) and said twisted pair cable (300) includes a first conductor (301) and a second conductor (302), said apparatus comprising: a housing having a first end (12) for releasably receiving said terminal end (200) and a second end (14) for receiving said first and second conductors (301, 302) of said twisted pair cable (300);   connecting means (20) for releasably connecting said terminal end (200) to said housing first end (12) with said terminal end (200) and said housing first end (12) maintained in predetermined alignment;   a first intermediate electrical connector (70) carried by said housing and having a first end (74) disposed to contact said first exposed electrical contact (206) in electrical connection when said terminal end (200) is connected to said housing by said connecting means (20), means (110) for connecting said first twisted pair cable conductor (301) to said first intermediate electrical connector (70) in electrical connection; and   a second intermediate electrical connector (80) carried by said housing and having a first end (84) disposed to contact said second exposed contact (208) in electrical connection when said terminal end (200) is connected to said housing first end (12) by said connecting means (20), means (110) for connecting said second twisted pair cable conductor (302) to said second intermediate electrical connector (80) in electrical connection.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conductors (301, 302) are carried in a common cable (300) and second strain relief means (30) for securing said common cable (300) to said housing second and in fixed alignment therewith. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said terminal end (200) includes an exposed cylindrical portion (201) having a radially protruding post (202), said connecting means (20) including a sleeve on said housing first end (12) having a cylindrical inner surface sized to slidably receive said exposed cylindrical portion (201); a pocket (22) formed in said sleeve (20) sized and positioned to receive said post (202) when said terminal end (200) and housing first end (12) are in predetermined alignment;   an axial slit (24) formed in said sleeve (20) and extending from a free end (12) thereof and past said pocket (22), said axial slit (24) disposed in communication with said pocket, said axial slit dimensioned at said free end to receive said post (202) within said slit and being reduced in dimension to a location (27) adjacent said pocket with said slit smaller than said post; and   a circumferential slit (26) formed in said sleeve (20) and extending from a point on said slit (24) on a side opposite said pocket (22) in a direction away from said pocket.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising circuit means (96, 97) for establishing an electrical circuit between said first and second intermediate electrical connectors (70, 80). 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said circuit means includes a plurality of circuit elements (96, 97) disposed within said housing with each of said circuit elements having first and second electrical contact points (98) with said first contact points disposed to be in electrical connection with said first intermediate connector (70) and said second contact points to be in electrical connection with said second intermediate connector (80). 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said circuit elements (96, 97) comprise surface mount circuit components having said first and second contact points with said first points disposed opposing said first intermediate connector and said second points disposed opposing said second intermediate connectors; means (100, 140) for urging said first intermediate connector (70) into electrical contact with said first points; and   means (100, 140) for urging said second intermediate connector (80) into electrical contact with said second points.   
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second intermediate connectors (70, 80) are each provided with second ends (76, 86) having insulation displacement connector means (110) for receiving insulation clad conductors (301, 302) and piercing said insulation and contacting said conductors in electrical connection as said conductors are connected to said second ends, said insulation displacement connector means (110) comprising said means for connecting said first and second conductors to said first and second intermediate connectors. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7 comprising first strain relief means for (120) retaining said first and second conductors in fixed alignment adjacent said insulation displacement connector means. 
     
     
       9. An electrical connector apparatus for electrically connecting a twisted pair cable with a jack where said jack has a terminal end (200) with a first exposed electrical contact (206) and a second exposed electrical contact (208) disposed in predetermined alignment and said cable (300) includes a first conductor (301) and a second conductor (302), said apparatus comprising; a housing having a first end (12) for releasably receiving said terminal end (200) and a second end (14) for receiving said twisted pair cable (300), said housing being split along a longitudinal axis between said first and second end and to a first housing component (16) and a second housing component (18);   connecting means (20) for releasably connecting said terminal end (200) to said first end (12) in predetermined alignment;   said first housing component (16) having means for aligning a first intermediate connector (70) and second intermediate connector (80) in predetermined fixed positions with said first and second intermediate connectors (70, 80) being disposed with first ends (74, 84) to contact said first and second exposed contacts (206, 208), respectively, of said terminal end (200) when said terminal end (200) is connected to said first housing end (12) by connecting means (20); and with said first and second intermediate connectors having opposing spaced apart circuit element contact portions (78, 88) when in said fixed positions;   a plurality of circuit elements (96, 97) disposed within said housing with means for holding said circuit elements between said first and second intermediate connectors and in contact therewith to provide an electrical circuit between said first and second intermediate connectors; said first and second intermediate connectors (70, 80) having second ends (76, 86) with insulation displacement connector means (110) for electrically connecting said second ends to electrical conductors of said twisted pair cable; and   means for joining said first and second housing components.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 9 comprising means (32) within said second housing component (18) for exposing said second ends (76, 86) of said intermediate connectors (70, 80) and said cable (300); and means (32) for closing said exposure (32) and urging said conductors into said insulation displacement connector means. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said terminal end (200) includes a first hollow portion (201) having an inner cylindrical surface with said second contact (208) having a portion (208a) being resiliently bias to engage said cylindrical surface, said apparatus (10) further comprising separating means (160) disposed on said first end (12) having an outer cylindrical surface coaxially aligned with said inner cylindrical surface of said portion (201) when said terminal end (200) and said first end (12) are connected by said connecting means (20); said means (160) being sized to be received within said hollow portion (201) to urge said portions (208a) away from said inner cylindrical surface. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said separating means (160) includes fastening means (164) for fastening said first housing component to said second housing component. 
     
     
       13. A connection apparatus for establishing connection to a terminal end (200) of a jack wherein said terminal end (200) includes an exposed cylindrical portion (201) having a radially protruding post (202), said connection apparatus comprising: a sleeve (20) having a cylindrical inner surface sized to slidably receive said exposed cylindrical portion (201);   a pocket (22) formed in said sleeve (20) sized and positioned to receive said post (202) when said terminal end (200) and housing first end (12) are in predetermined alignment;   an axial split (24) formed in said sleeve (20) and extending from a free end (12) thereof and past said pocket (22), said axial slit (24) disposed in communication with said pocket, said axial slit dimensioned at said free end to receive said post (202) within said slit and being reduced in dimension to a location (27) adjacent said pocket with said slit smaller than said post; and   a circumferential slit (26) formed in said sleeve (20) and extending from a point on said slit (24) on a side opposite said pocket (22) in a direction away from said pocket.